Anti-roll suspension for automobiles

Abstract

An antiroll suspension for a vehicle chassis having laterally spaced wheels, the suspension comprises an axle assembly for rotatably mounting each of a pair of laterally spaced wheels, a spring assembly supporting the chassis on each of the axle assemblies, a moveable arm connected between the spring and the chassis, and an anti roll linkage connected between said chassis and the moveable arm of the axles of the suspension system being responsive to a lateral force on said chassis, and structured to translate lateral force on the chassis to a vertical force on the down force side of the chassis so that the anti roll linkage simultaneously lifts the down force side of the vehicle and lowers the up force side of the vehicle.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An anti-roll suspension system for a vehicle chassis having at least two laterally spaced front wheels and two laterally spaced rear wheels, the suspension comprising: 
       an axle assembly for mounting each of a pair of laterally spaced front wheels;  
       an axle assembly for mounting each of a pair of laterally spaced rear wheels;  
       a spring assembly comprising a spring for mounting the chassis on each of the axle assemblies;  
       a moveable arm connected between each spring assembly and the chassis; and  
       an anti roll linkage connected to said chassis and to said moveable arm, said anti roll linkage comprising a bell crank for pivotal mounting to a vehicle chassis having one arm connected to an axle assembly and a compensating link connecting another arm to said moveable arm for receiving and translating said lateral movement to said moveable arm, such that said anti roll linkage translates a lateral movement of the chassis to a vertical downward movement of said moveable arm to the spring on a down force side of the chassis and a vertical upward movement of said moveable arm to the spring on an up force side of the chassis so that the anti roll linkage simultaneously lifts the down force side of the chassis and lowers the up force side of the chassis.  
     
     
       2. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 1  wherein said spring is a coil compression spring normally disposed in a substantially vertical orientation. 
     
     
       3. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 1  wherein said spring is a coil compression spring normally disposed in a substantially vertical orientation. 
     
     
       4. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 3  wherein each of said axle assemblies is independently supported on said chassis. 
     
     
       5. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 4  wherein each of said spring assemblies embodies a McPherson strut. 
     
     
       6. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 4  wherein said anti roll linkage is independently supported between said laterally spaced wheels by a tie link. 
     
     
       7. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 6  wherein: 
       said laterally spaced wheels are front wheels; and  
       a steering box for said front wheels is mounted on said tie link.  
     
     
       8. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 3  wherein said moveable arm of each of said spring assemblies is a bell crank having one arm connected to an axle. 
     
     
       9. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 8  wherein each of said spring assemblies is embodied in a double wishbone suspension. 
     
     
       10. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 9  wherein each of the double wishbone suspensions includes an upper control arm and a lower control arm, and each control arm is attached to said chassis by a bell crank. 
     
     
       11. An anti-roll suspension for a vehicle chassis having at least two laterally spaced front wheels and two laterally spaced rear wheels, the suspension comprising: 
       an axle assembly for mounting each of a pair of laterally spaced front wheels;  
       an axle assembly for mounting each of a pair of laterally spaced rear wheels;  
       a spring assembly comprising a spring for mounting the chassis on each of the axle assemblies;  
       a moveable arm pivotally mounted on the chassis and connected to each spring assembly, and  
       an anti roll linkage connected to said chassis and to said moveable arm, said anti roll linkage comprising a bell crank for pivotal mounting top vehicle chassis having one arm connected to support an axle assembly, and a compensating link connecting another arm to said moveable arm for receiving and translating said lateral movement to said moveable arm, such that said anti roll linkage translates a lateral movement of the chassis relative to an axle assembly to a vertical downward movement of said moveable arm to the spring on a down force side of the chassis and a vertical upward movement of said moveable arm to the spring on an up force side of the chassis so that the anti roll linkage simultaneously lifts the down force side of the chassis and lowers the up force side of the chassis.  
     
     
       12. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 11  wherein said spring is a coil compression spring normally disposed in a substantially vertical orientation. 
     
     
       13. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 12  wherein each of said axle assemblies is independently supported on said chassis. 
     
     
       14. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 13  wherein each of said spring assemblies embodies a McPherson strut. 
     
     
       15. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 12  wherein said anti roll linkage is interconnected between said laterally spaced wheels by a tie link. 
     
     
       16. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 15  wherein: 
       said laterally spaced wheels are front wheels; and  
       a steering box for said front wheels is mounted on said tie link.  
     
     
       17. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 15  wherein said moveable arm of each of said spring assemblies is a bell crank having one arm connected to an axle. 
     
     
       18. An anti-roll suspension according to  claim 17  wherein: 
       each of said spring assemblies is embodied in a double wishbone suspension;  
       each of the double wishbone suspensions includes an upper control arm and a lower control arm; and  
       each control arm is attached to said chassis by a bell crank.